Gluten-free socca with tomatoes, mushrooms & spinach

Patricia Conte has a background in marketing communications and works as an independent writer. In 2010, she was given the opportunity to combine her love of writing and food when she started as a contributing writer for the Food channel...

Pick socca for a snack

When you need a gluten-free snack, try socca. Made with garbanzo bean flour, this is a treat that is popular in France. It's easy to make and enjoy.

Socca is a type of street food snack, well known to Nice, France. It's rustic and simple (and gluten-free), yet perfect to serve in your home as a filling snack or even an appetizer. Made with garbanzo bean flour, socca is like a cross between a crepe and a pancake.

I've taken some liberties with this French snack food and added a fresh veggie mixture to serve on the side. I think it turns the dish into more of an appetizer to serve to friends. The side of vegetables and lemony dressing is a nice complement to the hearty socca. A cast iron skillet is perfect to make socca, but if you don't have one, use another oven-safe pan or even a pizza pan.

When you're ready to indulge, close your eyes, take a bite and pretend you're on vacation in Nice with the Mediterranean Sea just a few steps away! Wherever you are, this is a satisfying snack that I think you'll want to make over and over again.

Note

Gluten can be found in many different foods and products, from ketchup to soy sauce to candy and seasonings. While SheKnows.com tries to ensure these recipes are gluten-free, carefully read the ingredient labels of all food and food products you use for these recipes to ensure they are also gluten-free.

Gluten-free socca with mushrooms, tomatoes & spinach recipe

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

For the topping

10-15 cherry tomatoes, cut into halves, seeds removed

6 ounces cremini mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed and diced

1 cup (packed) baby spinach leaves

1 garlic clove, minced

Juice from 1/2 lemon (1 to 1-1/2 tablespoons)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

For the socca

1 cup garbanzo bean flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup water

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme

1 teaspoon fresh chopped rosemary

1 teaspoon butter

Directions:

For the topping

Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For the socca

Add the garbanzo bean flour to a medium bowl. Add the salt and black pepper, and whisk to combine.

A little at a time, add the water to the flour mixture and whisk it until a smooth batter forms.

Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and whisk to combine. Set the batter aside for about 20 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. About 10 minutes before you're ready to cook the socca, add the skillet to the oven to heat it. Remove the skillet after about 10 minutes.

Add the thyme and rosemary to the batter and gently mix it.

Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the warm skillet, then add the batter to the skillet.

Bake the mixture for 10-15 minutes, or until the center is firm and the edges of the socca are golden and curling up from the pan.

Turn the oven to broil, brush the top of the socca with the butter and cook for just 1-2 minutes, watching carefully so it doesn't burn. The top of the socca should be golden.

Carefully remove the socca, cut it into wedges and serve with the vegetable mixture on the side.